Identifying the heirs
The court or notary establishes who inherits under the law or a will, the size of each share and whether legacies or other rights exist.
Inheritance in Croatia
Inheritance proceedings in Croatia: procedure, documents and certified translations
Croatian probate proceedings determine the heirs, the contents of the estate and the rights belonging to heirs and other persons. Where an heir, document or asset is abroad, properly prepared certified Croatian translations are often essential to keep the proceeding moving.
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What probate determines
One case file must connect the deceased, the heirs, any will and the complete estate.
Proceedings begin when the court receives a death record, death-register extract or equivalent document. The competent municipal court generally entrusts the case to a notary public acting as a trustee of the court, and the proceeding ends with a decision on succession.
Identifying the estate
Real estate, bank accounts, investments, company interests, vehicles, claims, movable property and debts must be identified with documents that allow the authority to verify them.
Decision on succession
The final decision identifies the heirs, estate and corresponding rights and supports the registrations and practical steps needed to deal with inherited property.
The procedure
From the death record to a final succession decision.
A straightforward matter may conclude after one hearing. Missing information, foreign documents or a dispute about heirs or assets may require additional steps.
- 01
Opening the case and jurisdiction
Proceedings are opened ex officio when the court receives evidence of death. If no case was opened despite estate assets, an interested person may apply to the competent municipal court with proof of death, any will and property records. Territorial jurisdiction primarily follows the deceased’s domicile at death.
- 02
Summons and details of the heirs
Interested persons, potential heirs and any executor are summoned. Accurate identity and contact details are needed, together with evidence of family relationships when the information is not available in Croatian registers.
- 03
The will and estate assets
Any will—or information about where it is held—should be provided, together with documents identifying assets and debts. For Croatian real estate, the cadastral municipality, parcel number and land-register information must be exact.
- 04
Hearing and declarations of succession
The court or notary considers entitlement, shares and other rights. Acceptance or waiver may be declared before the competent authority or submitted in an appropriately certified instrument; confirm the required form and authentication before executing one abroad.
- 05
Decision, remedies and registration
The proceeding ends with a decision on succession. Croatia’s official guidance states that an appeal against a first-instance court decision is filed within 15 days, while an objection against a notary’s decision is filed with the notary within eight days of service. The final decision is sent to the relevant tax and land-register authorities.
Documents for the probate file
What to prepare for Croatian or cross-border inheritance proceedings.
The exact list varies. The authority may obtain some information from official registers and may request further evidence based on the facts of the case.
- 01Death certificate, death-register extract or equivalent proof of death
- 02The heirs’ identity details, addresses, identity documents and Croatian personal identification numbers (OIB), where available
- 03Birth, marriage or other civil-status records establishing family relationships
- 04Will, codicil and information about where any testamentary document is held
- 05Land-register extracts and exact details of Croatian real estate
- 06Evidence of accounts, investments, company interests, vehicles, claims, movable assets and debts
- 07Powers of attorney and certified declarations of acceptance or waiver made outside the hearing
- 08Foreign succession decisions, European Certificates of Succession and accompanying certificates
- 09Apostille or other authentication where required, together with a certified Croatian translation
Certified-translation preparation
The translation must work as a consistent part of the Croatian probate file.
- 01
Send the summons or authority’s instructions
Upload the documents together with the court or notary summons, case reference, deadline and information on whether the document will be used in Croatia or abroad.
- 02
Align identity and land-register data
Names, dates, addresses, OIBs and property descriptions should match identity records and the Croatian land register. We identify discrepancies before issuing the translation.
- 03
Check authentication and the form of declarations
Before translating a foreign public record or declaration of succession, confirm whether the recipient requires an Apostille, full legalisation, signature certification or a specific form.
- 04
Translate the final document set
The certified translation covers every page, seal, signature and certificate. Related documents use consistent terminology throughout the same proceeding.
Practical answers
Common questions about inheritance proceedings in Croatia.
01Who conducts probate proceedings in Croatia?
A municipal court has first-instance jurisdiction. The court generally entrusts the proceeding to a notary public acting as its trustee. The notary applies the Croatian Inheritance Act and acts under the court’s decision entrusting the case. European e-Justice Portal — Succession in Croatia ↗
02Do I need to open the Croatian probate proceeding myself?
Proceedings are generally opened ex officio when the court receives a death record, death-register extract or equivalent document. If no proceeding has been opened despite the existence of estate assets, an interested person may apply to the competent municipal court with the relevant documents.
03Can an heir living abroad use a representative?
A party may be represented, but the required content and form of the power of attorney and any declaration of succession should be confirmed in advance with the court, notary or Croatian legal adviser. A document executed abroad may require signature certification, authentication and certified Croatian translation.
04Can I waive the inheritance after the decision is issued?
A waiver may be declared from the deceased’s death until the first-instance decision is issued. A valid declaration of acceptance or waiver cannot simply be revoked, so its wording and effects should be reviewed under Croatian law before signature.
05Do foreign documents need an Apostille and certified Croatian translation?
A certified Croatian translation is commonly required when a foreign-language record is submitted to a Croatian court, notary or land-register court. Apostille or full legalisation is not automatic for every record; it depends on the issuing country, the document and the applicable treaty or EU regime. Guide: Apostille and certified translation in Croatia ↗
06What is a European Certificate of Succession?
Regulation (EU) No 650/2012 created the Certificate so heirs, legatees, executors and estate administrators can prove their status or powers in other participating Member States. The European e-Justice Portal states that, when used for Croatian land registration and not issued in Croatian, it must be accompanied by a Croatian translation prepared by a sworn translator. European e-Justice Portal — European succession rules ↗
07What happens if the heirs or estate assets are disputed?
Where facts concerning inheritance rights, the size of a share, a legacy or the composition of the estate are disputed, the court may direct the parties to civil or administrative proceedings. Depending on the issue, probate may be stayed or may continue.
08Does abacus provide legal representation in Croatian probate proceedings?
Not as part of this service. Abacus prepares specialist and certified translations of inheritance documents. Decisions about waiver, jurisdiction, disputes and other legal issues should be made with advice from a Croatian lawyer, court or notary.
09How is the translation price calculated?
Each price is determined individually after the document has been reviewed, taking account of the language pair, volume and type of text, certification, deadline and any other requirements. A certified-translation quote may be based on Croatia’s Ordinance on Permanent Court Interpreters. The Ordinance calculates written translations by a standard line of 50 characters, with one standard page of 30 lines—or 1,500 characters—as the minimum unit. Ordinance on Permanent Court Interpreters (official Croatian text) ↗
Verified sources
Official sources used for this guide
Professional review: Toni Nogolica · sources checked 27 August 2026.- Croatian Government — Probate proceedingsOpening the case, jurisdiction, hearing, declarations, the decision, remedies and the role of the notary.↗
- European e-Justice Portal — CroatiaCroatian succession law, competent authorities, declarations and documents for land registration.↗
- EUR-Lex — Regulation (EU) No 650/2012Official EU text governing cross-border succession and the European Certificate of Succession.↗
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Each price is determined individually after document review. A certified-translation quote may be based on Croatia’s Ordinance on Permanent Court Interpreters.